[Gusdev-gusdev] JSP / Object mechanism

[pjm <pj...@sa...>]

All,

We have been thinking about the jsp-object part of the web interface. The
fact the jsp pages will require data from several sources including the
GUS DB, Perl programs, flat files (config files, XML), other internet
resources, etc, etc means that the mechanism for controlling this
communication needs to be structured.

We have been looking at Jakarta Struts (http://jakarta.apache.org/struts/)
because we think this could help us structure, manage and simplify the way
the jsp talks to the various objects. Several groups here at Hinxton use it
in anger and say good things about it.

It provides a prewritten and tested framework which broadly fits the model
Steve sent us. In particular the tiles code, for separating content and
presentation with easy centralised configuration of the later would seem
to be an ideal fit with our joint requirements.

To learn more about Struts I suggest you start at;
http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/excerpt/progjakstruts_14/index1.html
and work your way through the 4 articles in the series.

There are several books available on Struts, we've been reading the
O'Reilly version. So far myself and Adrian like what we see. If you do too
we would like to code, or at least outline in reasonable depth, an example
for the Query Results page since it will be similar for both groups.

What do you think?


Paul.